Democratic leader sues to seat delegates

May 23, 2008|By Anthony Man Political Writer and Washington Bureau Chief William E. Gibson contributed to this report.

State Senate Minority Leader Steve Geller filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the Democratic National Committee to get the full Florida delegation seated at the party's national convention.

Geller, a Cooper City Democrat, is a superdelegate - assuming Florida's delegates are seated at the national convention. He is uncommitted, but seating the full Florida delegation based on the Jan. 29 primary results would help Hillary Clinton close the delegate gap with Barack Obama.

Geller said that's not his intention. His co-plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Barbara Effman, a delegate pledged to Clinton, and Percy Johnson, a delegate pledged to Obama.

The national party revoked Florida's delegates because the early date of the primary violated its rules. Geller said that isn't fair.

However, DNC press secretary Stacie Paxton, said, "In two other cases so far, the courts have upheld the Democratic National Committee's right to establish and enforce its own rules regarding the selection of delegates."

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings' lawsuit against the party failed. Tampa activist Victor DiMaio's case is pending.

The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee is to meet May 31 to consider the delegate situation. Geller said one compromise that has been floated - restoring half of Florida's delegates - is unacceptable.